What it is

A 259-room gem hidden away in the quiet Eixample neighborhood, with sleek Japanese-inspired interiors and a 23rd floor outpost of Nobu restaurant.

What it isn't

All sushi, sushi and more sushi. Yes, it’s some of the best you’ll ever have, but you want to try the wagyu dumplings and scallops with yuzu truffle, too.

What we think

Come hungry. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa doesn’t mess around when it comes to his menus, which is why his restaurants can now be found everywhere from Moscow to Manila. (Another reason: Matsuhisa partnered with Robert de Niro, who helped buoy him to fame). But even if you’re not a food person, there’s plenty to love here: the Japanese-inspired guest rooms are sound-proof, graced with floor-to-ceiling windows, marble bathrooms and rainfall showers that will make you feel like you’re bathing in a temperate monsoon. Request a Sake Suite for a 668-square-foot room lofted some 15 to 22 floors over the Mediterranean, with corner window views.

You're here because

You like to travel within your travels, and Nobu Barcelona makes you feel like you’re in both Japan and Spain at once.

The Moment

In a corner booth by the window on the 23rd floor at Nobu, you can’t imagine De Niro himself would be treated better. Every dish placed before you—the lobster salad with lemon dressing, the caviar wasabi potato, the salmon spicy miso tacos—feels like the best thing you’ve eaten. Until, that is, until the next plate arrives. You don’t know if you can return to earth after this.

Restaurants & Bars

NOBU Barcelona - Iconic Nobu menu created by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa

KOZARA - Traditional Japanese cooking with local Catalan influences

NOBU Bar - Creative cocktails and a wide list of wine, liquor and champagne from around the world

Location

Barcelona’s quiet Eixample district, just four blocks from Joan Miro park (which, yes, is home to a sculpture—Woman & Bird—by the famed artist).